조선후기 옥천사의 왕실원당 설치배경과 특징

Abstract

This paper examines the background and characteristics of the establishment of a royal buddhist shrine at Okcheon Temple in Goseong, in conjunction with the changing landscape of Buddhism during the late Joseon period. Okcheonsa was a temple that supplied paper to the royal family in the late Joseon era. Shortly after being designated as a tributary temple for royal use, Okcheonsa was assigned to perform Buddhist rituals for the birthdays of King Jeongjo and King Sunjo. Subsequently, a Buddhist shrine was established with the patronage of Park Gyu-hui, the Military Commander of Left Gyeongsang Province. The royal prayer hall at Okcheonsa continued to function until the end of the Joseon Dynasty. Even after the abolition of Okcheonsa’s regional duties following the Gabo Reform, the temple continued to serve as a buddhst shrine, enshrining the spirit tablets of Emperor Gojong, Empress Myeongseong, and Emperor Sunjong. Unlike the early Joseon period, when royal buddhist shrines were established or renovated under royal patronage and received tax exemptions, Okcheonsa was first designated as a supplier of miscellaneous services to the royal family before being appointed as a royal Buddhist shrine. The construction of the shrine was carried out by local officials. As a result, the temple was able to receive exemptions from various duties except for regional obligations. This pattern was not unique to Okcheonsa but was also observed in other royal Buddhist shrines in the three southern provinces during this period. It highlights a shift in the privileges of royal Buddhist shrines at the time where they were more focused on exemptions from miscellaneous duties rather than direct economic support from the royal family. The designation of Okcheonsa as a royal Buddhist shrine in the late 18th century was—similar to the establishment of buddhist shrine in other major temples in the three southern provinces—an effort to escape various miscellaneous duties, including regional obligations, which had impoverished the temple economy. From the royal perspective, there was a need for prayer sites to supplicate for the well-being of the royal family and the nation’s prosperity, as well as a need to protect temples serving the royal family. From Okcheonsa’s standpoint, royal political patronage was desperately needed to escape the various demands imposed by central government offices, local government offices, military camps, and local influential families, in addition to royal regional duties. Due to this mutual need between the royal family and the temple, Okcheonsa was designated as a royal Buddhist shrine to pray for the well-being of Kings Jeongjo and Sunjo. It continued to function as a prayer site for the king, queen, and crown prince until the end of the Joseon Dynasty.